Recently, the Spanish
newspaper El
País has published an interesting interview
to Roberta Jacobson,
current United States Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere
Affairs. It clarifies some new perspectives about the relationship between
United States and Latin American countries such as Venezuela or Cuba.
USA hopes that Venezuela’s elections are carried out with total normality according to the democratic principles. They would like that international observers as well as some local ones control de process so that transparency is guaranteed.
The relationship USA-Venezuela has always been strained due to the past and the different ideology. Chavez used to criticise George Bush’s, and then Obama’s, way of governing. His speeches in the national television channel are worthy to remember. It is worrying, as well as dangerous, that the Government uses the national media with indoctrinating purposes. Without Free Press, it is difficult to have a free citizenship capable of making its own well-informed opinion. Moreover, as Roberta Jacobson says, only if the press is independent, the government and the opposition can send their political message to the voters. USA thinks that Henrique Capriles, head of the opposition Party Primero Justicia, would be a good candidate to win the poll, but they do not admit having a favourite.
Roberta Jacobson is sure about the possibility of cooperating with Venezuela: “In the past, it has always been talked about this region in terms of threatening, now we have to talk also about the opportunities.” Now that Hugo Chavez is no longer in the power, the future of the country is still unknown. Will Venezuela continue on its to democracy? Only time will tell.
Caño, A. (15th March 2013) “Cuba está cambiando” El Pais. Available online: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2013/03/12/actualidad/1363127804_593782.html
USA hopes that Venezuela’s elections are carried out with total normality according to the democratic principles. They would like that international observers as well as some local ones control de process so that transparency is guaranteed.
The relationship USA-Venezuela has always been strained due to the past and the different ideology. Chavez used to criticise George Bush’s, and then Obama’s, way of governing. His speeches in the national television channel are worthy to remember. It is worrying, as well as dangerous, that the Government uses the national media with indoctrinating purposes. Without Free Press, it is difficult to have a free citizenship capable of making its own well-informed opinion. Moreover, as Roberta Jacobson says, only if the press is independent, the government and the opposition can send their political message to the voters. USA thinks that Henrique Capriles, head of the opposition Party Primero Justicia, would be a good candidate to win the poll, but they do not admit having a favourite.
Roberta Jacobson is sure about the possibility of cooperating with Venezuela: “In the past, it has always been talked about this region in terms of threatening, now we have to talk also about the opportunities.” Now that Hugo Chavez is no longer in the power, the future of the country is still unknown. Will Venezuela continue on its to democracy? Only time will tell.
Caño, A. (15th March 2013) “Cuba está cambiando” El Pais. Available online: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2013/03/12/actualidad/1363127804_593782.html
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